45 h. ago Gaza latest: Netanyahu defends plan to occupy Gaza City as UN warns of ‘calamity’

Anger grows in Israel and outside over Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plan to take over Gaza

Events

54 h. ago Netanyahu defends Gaza City plan as UN warns of ‘calamity’ and starvation

Israeli PM says taking over city is ‘best way’ to end war, despite condemnation from within Israel and around worldMiddle East crisis – live updatesBenjamin Netanyahu has defended his plan to take control of Gaza City in the face of widespread international outrage, even as senior UN officials warned that the move risked unleashing “another calamity” on a territory already experiencing “starvation, pure and simple”.In a rare press conference with foreign journalists in Jerusalem, the Israeli prime minister said the plan, signed off last week by the security cabinet to criticism both at home and abroad, was “the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily.” Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago ‘I will live here, and I will die here’: Palestinians defiant as Israel plans to seize control of Gaza Strip

While some in Gaza City are preparing to evacuate to the south, others refuse to be displaced againDisplaced repeatedly. Forced to live in tent camps or amid the ruins of their homes. Stricken by hunger and deprived of medical supplies.Now, 22 months into the war, around 1 million Palestinians are bracing for another catastrophe after the Israeli security cabinet’s decision to take control of the entire Gaza Strip. Such an offensive would force them toward the south of the territory, and an uncertain future. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘I will live here, and I will die here’: Palestinians defiant as Israel plans to seize control of Gaza City

While some in Gaza City are preparing to evacuate to the south, others refuse to be displaced againDisplaced repeatedly. Forced to live in tent camps or amid the ruins of their homes. Stricken by hunger and deprived of medical supplies.Now, 22 months into the war, around 1 million Palestinians are bracing for another catastrophe after the Israeli security cabinet’s decision to take control of Gaza City. Such an offensive would force them toward the south of the territory, and an uncertain future. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago JD Vance meets with David Lammy in Sevenoaks after Keir Starmer condemns Israel's plan to take over Gaza city

The Foreign Secretary said the pair would discuss the ‘developing situation in Gaza’ and the war in Ukraine

Politics

4 d. ago Make America Bait Again! JD Vance shows off fishing skills on visit to David Lammy's country retreat (and boasts he caught more)

David Lammy and US vice-president JD Vance showed off their fishing skills at the Chevening country retreat.

Events

4 d. ago Make America Bait Again! JD Vance shows off his fishing skills as he meets David Lammy at Foreign Secretary's country retreat

David Lammy and US vice-president JD Vance showed off their fishing skills at the Foreign Secretary's Chevening country retreat.

Events

4 d. ago Vance meets Lammy in UK as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is hosting the US vice-president at Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaThe SNP is calling for the recall of parliament so that MPs can approve sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu in the light of his decision to extend the occupation of Gaza. In a statement Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, said:A genocide is happening before our eyes in Gaza. Words of condemnation aren’t anywhere near enough - if we have any hope of stopping this genocide strong actions are desperately needed, now. That means Keir Starmer needs to recall Westminster and take concrete steps to sanction the Israeli government. Those sanctions must include ending all arms sales to the Israeli military, stopping all training, logistical and military support to the IDF, directly and personally sanctioning Netanyahu and his ministers and finally and immediately recognising the state of Palestine before it is brutally wiped off the map. If...

Politics

4 d. ago David Lammy to meet JD Vance TODAY amid tensions over UK vow to recognise Palestinian state

Foreign Secretary David Lammy is hosting the US vice-president at his country retreat of Chevening.

Events

4 d. ago Israel’s Gaza City plan sparks global condemnation with warnings of more destruction and suffering – latest updates

Widespread calls for takeover plan to be stopped with UK’s Starmer saying escalation will ‘only bring more bloodshed’ and Germany halting arms exportsNetanyahu announces plan to take over Gaza CityThe UK’s ambassador to Israel has said extending the war in Gaza would only lead to more deaths and that occupying Gaza would be a “huge mistake”.Simon Walters was quoted by Israel’s Haaretz newspaper as saying on Thursday:The IDF has achieved all that it can achieve in Gaza, and extending the war any further will simply lead to more deaths. Deaths of soldiers, deaths of Palestinians, deaths of hostages.If you want to defeat Hamas, you cannot achieve that through military force. You need to use politics and diplomacy and you need to give the people of Gaza an alternative to Hamas.We are working with friends, allies in Europe and in the Middle East to generate a real plan for what happens after the fighting stops, after the war.It needs to be a description of what the governments will be fo...

Events

4 d. ago The Latest: Israel plans to take control of Gaza City, drawing international condemnation

Israel says it plans to take over Gaza City in another escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas

Politics

4 d. ago Netanyahu announces plan to take over Gaza City in further escalation

Proposal that needs to be approved by full cabinet would mean sending Israeli ground troops into remaining territoryMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael’s security cabinet has approved a plan to take over Gaza City, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said, marking another escalation in the 22-month offensive that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed most of Gaza and pushed the territory into famine.Ahead of the security cabinet meeting, which began Thursday and ran through the night, Netanyahu had said Israel planned to retake control over the entire territory and eventually hand it off to friendly Arab forces opposed to Hamas. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Vance to arrive in UK for Lammy meeting as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is to welcome the US vice-president to Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaJohn Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, says Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza City is “completely and utterly unacceptable”. In a message on social media, the SNP leader said:The decision of the Israeli government to seize control of Gaza City is completely and utterly unacceptable. It will create even more human suffering for the Palestinian people and further escalate the conflict. The international community must stop Israel and secure a ceasefire.Netanyahu’s brutal plan to take control of Gaza is yet another declaration of intent to commit war crimes. The UK must do more than express disapproval: end military cooperation and arms sales, recognise Palestine, demand an immediate ceasefire and accountability for war crimes. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Israel security cabinet approves new plan to expand control over Gaza

Benjamin Netanyahu’s government overrules alternatives preferred by military such as ceasefire

Politics

4 d. ago Lammy to host Vance in UK as Starmer denounces Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City – UK politics live

The foreign secretary is to welcome the US vice-president to Chevening, his grace-and-favour residence, and Gaza is expected to be on their agendaGood morning. Keir Starmer has this morning denounced the Israeli government’s decision to take over Gaza City, agreed overnight, saying it will “only bring more bloodshed”. He has been under growing pressure for a long time, from within the Labour party, as well as from the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the Corbyn/Sultana independent leftwingers, to be more critical of Israel, and that led to the decision last week to recognise the state of Palestine. This morning’s statement, which will almost certainly have no practical impact but which is marginally stronger than what Starmer has been saying in the past, is fresh evidence of a shift in thinking.In his statement, Starmer said:The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to ...

Politics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer condemns Israel's plans to take control of Gaza City warning of 'more bloodshed'

Keir Starmer warned of 'more bloodshed' and urged Benjamin Netanyahu to reconsider after the dramatic announcement overnight.

Events

4 d. ago Israel's security cabinet approves plan to take control of Gaza City

Hamas calls Netanyahu’s comments about taken control of Gazan territory ‘a blatant coup’ - as families of Israeli hostages fear the move will be a ‘death sentence’ for their loved ones

Politics